title: Grip strength measurement in older adults in Taiwan: a comparison of three testing positions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of three commonly used positions on grip strength measurement in older people.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 249 (113 women, 136 men) older participants, 72.8 ± 6.5 years old, participated in this study. Grip strength (kg) was measured in three positions: (i) the standard posture (sitting, elbow flexed 90°) suggested by the American Society of Hand Therapists; (ii) standing, elbow flexed 90°; and (3) standing, elbow fully extended.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One-way repeated measures analysis of variance showed that grip strength was significantly greater in the standing position with the elbow fully extended than in the other two positions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The grip strengths obtained from the three positions were not all comparable in our community-dwelling older adults. Clinicians and researchers need to be cautious when choosing testing position for assessing and interpreting grip strength results obtained from these positions.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Medical Laboratory and Biotechnology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wan-Chun
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Chun-Hou
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shu-Yuan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Li-Yuan
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ching-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D056888:Patient Positioning; D011187:Posture; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013624:Taiwan
keywords: aged; geriatric assessment; hand strength